Oil War: American Intervention in the Persian Gulf is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates a hypothetical invasion of oil-producing countries in the Middle East in response to the oil crisis of 1973.
In October 1973, members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, proclaimed an oil embargo targeted at nations that had supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War: Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States (although later extended to Portugal, Rhodesia and South Africa.) As a direct result, the price of a barrel of crude oil rose almost 300% by March 1974. [1] Nick Palmer noted that "there was a good deal of speculation on the feasibility of an American intervention to seize the [oil] wells on the grounds of economic self-protection." [2]
Oil War is a two-player wargame in which one player controls American and allied forces invading oil-producing nations of the Middle East to seize oil wells, and the other player controls defending forces. [2] With a small 17" x 22" hex grid map and only 80 counters, the game has been characterized as "not complex". [2]
The game uses the following phases:
This completes one turn, which represents two days. [3] The game only lasts 8 turns.
The American player wins by controlling at least 15 of the 25 oil facilities and one of three ports by the end of the last turn. The Arab player wins by preventing this.
There are three scenarios: [3]
Oil War was designed by Jim Dunnigan less than a year after the end of the OAPEC oil embargo. It was released as a free pull-out game in Issue 52 of Strategy & Tactics (October 1975) with graphic design by Redmond A. Simonsen. It was also published as a folio game (packaged in a double LP-sized cardstock folder, and as a boxed set. The game failed to attract an audience, and did not crack SPI's Top Ten Bestseller list. [4]
In the 1977 book The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming , Nicholas Palmer stated that "The game system is not very complex, but unusual, with the entire US force air-lifting into the action. The US has air domination, but the defenders have considerable ground superiority, and the race to seize the wells in the eight turns allowed is touch and go. Some interesting problems for both sides, but probably not enough sustained suspense for the hard-core. Playable in a few hours." [2]
In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames , game designer Jon Freeman noted the relative unpopularity of the game, saying, "Oil War has never received much notice in wargaming circles. Perhaps the situation portrayed is too discomforting to be popular." He complimented the game system, calling it "one of the more novel and innovative game systems around [...] clean and fast, and the situation [...] is fluid and exciting." However, Freeman had an issue with the numbers of American aircraft, saying, "the portrayal of naval air units is unrealistic in regard to both the particular aircraft capabilities and the numbers shown – unless we are to assume that the entire U.S. Pacific carrier force is cruising the Gulf of Oman!" Freeman concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of "Good." [5]
In Issue 27 of the UK wargaming magazine Phoenix , Donald Mack also noted its unpopularity, calling it "An under-rated game." Writing in 1980, five years after the game's publication and the year after the Iranian Revolution, Mack noted that the game was "now rather dated by events in Iran." He found the game balanced, noting that "The Allied player will have little difficulty in defeating the mixed bag of Arab/Iranian ground and air forces opposed to him, but this will not gain him any victory at all: this can be achieved only by capturing and holding a sufficient mix of oil and port hexes, and that in the limited time imposed by a comparatively short game." [6]
In a retrospective review in Issue 8 of Simulacrum, Luc Olivier commented on the supplied scenarios, writing, "Realistic or not today, those scenarios are fun, fast and well balanced, dealing with an air assault to seize airbases, to bring more troops and supply only by air bridges from Europe and Israel." Olivier concluded, "All in all, Oil War is a quick and clever design, quite outdated today but with some interesting learning about the use of a combined air operation. It is just a pity that only a very classical warfare is shown and that many options are missing, like helicopter transport between points on the map, the guerilla terrorism against the oil well garrisons, and the political subtleties of the region." [7]
In Issue 16 of Panzerschreck, James Meldrum thought that not enough scenarios had been supplied by the designers, and suggested a fourth, a hostage situation in the late 1970s. [8]
Invasion: America, subtitled "Death Throes of the Superpower", is a near-future board wargame published by SPI in 1976 that simulates a hypothetical coordinated attack on North America by various factions.
Chinese Farm, subtitled "Egyptian-Israeli Combat in the '73 War", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates operational level ground combat between Egypt and Israel at the Battle of The Chinese Farm during the just completed Yom Kippur War of October 1973. Chinese Farm was originally published as part of the "quadrigame" Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts.
Golan subtitled "Syrian-Israeli Combat in the '73 War", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates operational level ground combat between Egypt and Israel on the Golan Heights during the just completed Yom Kippur War of October 1973. Golan was originally published as part of the "quadrigame" Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts.
To the Green Fields Beyond, subtitled "The Battle of Cambrai, 1917" is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. in 1978 that simulates the appearance of tanks for the first time during the First World War.
Napoleon's Last Battles is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications in 1976 that simulates the last four battles fought by Napoleon. It was one of SPI's most popular games, and also received many positive reviews.
Wacht am Rhein is a grand tactical monster board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates Germany's Battle of the Bulge offensive in late 1944 during World War II.
Foxbat & Phantom, subtitled "Tactical Aerial Combat in the 1970's", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates aerial dogfights using jet aircraft technology from the early 1970s.
Frederick the Great, subtitled "The Campaigns of The Soldier King 1756–1759", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates several of the campaigns of Frederick the Great in Central Europe during the Seven Years' War. When SPI ran into financial difficulties, they sold the rights to the game to Avalon Hill, who produced a second edition in 1982.
Global War, subtitled "The War Against Germany and Japan, 1939–45", is a grand strategic and economic board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the entire extent of World War II.
Minuteman: The Second American Revolution is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that hypothesizes a modern-day revolution in United States as the result of widespread unrest.
Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts is a collection of four board wargames published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates four modern-day battles set in the early 1970s.
Spitfire, subtitled "Tactical Aerial Combat in Europe 1939-42", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates aerial combat during World War II.
Not to be confused with the 1910 Civil War drama film Road to Richmond screenwritten by Emmett C. Hall
Chickamauga: The Last Victory, 20 September 1863 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Chickamauga during the American Civil War. The game was originally part of the four-game collection Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles, and was also released as a stand-alone "folio" game.
World War 3: 1976-1984 is a Cold War-era board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates a hypothetical non-nuclear war for control of the world set in the 1970s. The game sold very well, and was one of SPI's top-selling games for almost a year.
War in the Pacific, subtitled "The Campaign Against Imperial Japan, 1941–45", is a large and complex strategic board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1978 that simulates the Pacific Campaign during World War II. Critics gave the game positive reviews, praising its use of logistics and "fog of war", and its well-written rules.
Sinai: The Arab-Israeli Wars – '56, '67 and '73 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates three conflicts in the Middle East: The 1956 Suez Crisis, the 1967 Six-Day War, and the just-completed 1973 Yom Kippur War. The staff of SPI had been developing a wargame simulating a hypothetical Middle East conflict when war broke out in October 1973. Using newspaper and television reports, SPI found that their envisioned simulation was not accurate, and quickly redeveloped the game, releasing it only weeks after a ceasefire had been signed. The game proved very popular, and remained a best-seller for SPI during the 1970s.
Revolt in the East, subtitled "Warsaw Pact Rebellion in the 1970's", is a Cold War-themed board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates a hypothetical rebellion of Warsaw Pact states against the Soviet Union, with possible intervention by NATO forces.
Veracruz: U.S. Invasion of Mexico 1847 (1977) is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates the American invasion of Mexico during the Mexican–American War.
Inchon, subtitled "Turning the Tide in Korea, 15–26 September 1950", is a board wargame published by Simulations Canada in 1981 that simulates the amphibious assault at Incheon during the Korean War.